Interpreter Services

Self Reliance Center for Independent Living is a not for profit cross disability organization serving Hillsborough County residents. Our goal is to remove barriers including attitudinal, architectural and communication to achieve access and equality for all. The Interpreter Services venture provides Sign Language (ASL) interpreters to medical professionals, private business, governmental entities, non profit community agencies as well as the community at large removing communication barriers for people who are deaf.

Many professionals and governmental entities are not aware of the ADA mandate therefore they did not provide interpreters. Other professionals and agencies want to provide interpreters to meet the mandate of the ADA but find it difficult to locate qualified and certified interpreters that are qualified, dependable and affordable.

Self Reliance’s Interpreter Services provides medical professionals, governmental agencies, schools, universities, colleges and any other individual or agency, mandated by law, access to interpreters for their patients, clients and students. Through 32 years of experience in delivering services to people with disabilities Self Reliance is respected and trusted to break through communication barriers and work collaboratively with others to enable them to meet the requirements of the ADA. Interpreter Services provides qualified and certified interpreters who are dependable at a competitive price.

Self Reliance’s Interpreter Services includes disability sensitivity and awareness training for employees, effective and efficient scheduling techniques to optimize the use of interpreters, and communication with people who are deaf to stress the importance of keeping appointments when an interpreter has been scheduled. These value added services are free to our customers. Medical providers will learn about interpreter qualifications and ways to insure the interpreters are meeting the needs of their patients. Additionally medical providers can learn how to increase their customer base by serving people who are deaf and hard of hearing. With more than 265,000 people in the Tampa Bay area who are deaf, deaf blind or hard of hearing there is opportunity to increase sales and profits by removing communication barriers.

Contact Michele Pineda, Director of Finance at 813-375-3965 ext.108 or 813-951-0336 to discuss how your business can build a stronger business by understanding and complying with the ADA. Michele can also be contacted by email at mpineda@self-reliance.org.